With a 1-5 record, the Miami Dolphins' 2025 season is going south.
Likely to get worse before it gets better, the Dolphins should be sellers up through the NFL trade deadline.
The good news is that Miami does have players that teams will have interest in from now until November 4. Among those players is pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, who PFF believes would be a possible fit for one AFC powerhouse.
Jaelan Phillips likely fit with Chiefs before trade deadline, according to PFF
In Pro Football Focus' latest 20 trade candidates ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline, the outlet listed Phillips as a potential fit with the always competing for Super Bowls Kansas City Chiefs. PFF also listed the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as possible destinations for the Dolphins' edge rusher, but Kansas City was notably the only AFC team in the mix.
All four teams are potential playoff teams -- and ones looking to continuously upgrade at their pass rush ahead of the postseason -- so adding someone of Phillips' caliber makes sense. And for Kansas City, adding someone like Phillips to a defensive front that already has George Karlaftis and Chris Jones would only solidify the odds of them reaching a fourth straight Super Bowl.
In the article, PFF's Bradley Locker notes that the Chiefs, along with the Buccaneers, "rank 25th or worse in pass-rush win rate by edge defenders." So while Kansas City's offense appears to be back (31+ points in three straight games) and is set for wide receiver Rashee Rice's return, the front office will look to see where they can upgrade on the defensive side.
And there are a couple of notable Miami players (Phillips and Bradley Chubb) who the Chiefs may have their eyes on.
For Miami, dealing Phillips makes sense for a multitude of reasons. He'll be looking for his second contract, and given where the organization is at right now, re-signing is not in the team's best interest. Phillips has had a lengthy injury history, and the Dolphins can ill afford to yet again throw out big money to a player who has already missed considerable time.
Likewise, several believe that Phillips has worn out his welcome in South Florida and that a change is best for all parties. While he's one of the best at hurrying opposing quarterbacks, the rate at which it leads to sacks is quite subpar. And that part of his game was on full display in the waning seconds of Miami's heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.
Phillips had Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in his grasp, which would've put Los Angeles in a 3rd-and-very-long situation with roughly 30 seconds to go. Instead, Herbert shook off Phillips and got the ball out to wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who made a move on Dolphins cornerback Dante Trader Jr., and ran down the sidelines for a 41-yard gain.
That play set up the game-winning field goal for Los Angeles. In the process, it left a bitter taste for the Dolphins' faithful, who have now seen their team already lose four games this season with Miami either tied or ahead in the fourth quarter. Phillips got the brunt of the blame after the play, leaving fans to voice their displeasure that it's time to move on from the former first-round pick.
Chances are that's exactly what the Dolphins' brass will do within the next few weeks. It remains to be seen whether that will be to Kansas City or elsewhere, but Phillips is among a list of players who could be off Miami's roster by early November.